Scales- Which is more accurate?

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DanceFittDiva
DanceFittDiva Posts: 83 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I went to my doctor yesterday and they have the balance beam type scale. On that thing I weighed almost 6lbs MORE than what my nice expensive digital scale at home tells me do! What gives? The doctor talks to me about losing weight, which is what I've been doing, but their scale makes it seem like I haven't lost hardly anything at all. Which would you say is more accurate... their balance beam "old school" scale or a digital one? Why would theirs be so darn off?! I wanted to tell him that his scale was wrong, but I didn't want to seem rude lol. It's just that when you work hard to lose and then the scale is off, it's frustrating.

Replies

  • tattoogal77
    tattoogal77 Posts: 72 Member
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    When I worked at a clinic and patients would tell me that our scale weighed them in more then the one at home I always told them go by the scale they use the most because sometimes those old school scales may not be balanced correctly. So I will tell you the same thing...use the scale you use most often, especially if that is the one you started using at the beginning of your journey. I always go by the one I have at home!!! Good luck and I hope this helps.
  • davidpearly
    davidpearly Posts: 177 Member
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    on this topic... how accurate is the wii scale on wii fit? it is what I use and was just curious as to if any one knew how accurate it was.
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
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    Plus the time of day is really important. If you weight yourself at home in the morning right after you've waken up - you have sweat out a lot of liquid, gone to the bathroom ,etc - so you are prety "empty." If you go to the doctor later in the day, you've eaten, drank, etc. So it is entirely possible that BOTH scales are correct.
  • runwmeNC
    runwmeNC Posts: 612 Member
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    We were just having the discussion on my profile and I prefer the old time scales with knob on front for below reasons

    exer6_zps6099b770.png
  • Silly_Otter
    Silly_Otter Posts: 20
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    All scales seem different, mine is a digital one that I stand on and it is pressed down, it's cheap it was 20 bucks, but then my friend has a "medical" one that says I'm 10 lbs lighter then when I weighed myself with my scale in the morning. So while weighing yourself does help, also recognize when you are feeling healthy and fit. I also use a measuring tape to record that, cause you also need to acknowledge how much more muscles weighs than fat.
  • Ultragirl2374
    Ultragirl2374 Posts: 390 Member
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    on this topic... how accurate is the wii scale on wii fit? it is what I use and was just curious as to if any one knew how accurate it was.

    My Wii fit scale used to be quite accurate. I recently tried it (after not using it for at least 2 years) and it was WAY OFF! I tried it a few days later and it said I gained 7lbs from the few days before. Which wasnt right because i had lost weight. I think mine is broken :-(
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    Great question. The susprising answer to the question: it doesn't matte as every scale measures a little different.

    There are factors that cause you to weigh differently on multiple scales as well:
    * You have all of your clothes on at the doctor, your are in your underware/naked at home.
    * You have eaten several meals by the time you get to teh doctor vs weighing yourself first thing in the morning after you pee.

    What IS important, if weight mgmt is your goal, is that you:
    * use the SAME SCALE everytime
    * weigh yourself under the SAME CONDITIONS every time

    I weigh in every day cuz i am a little nutty. However, the one that i watch to make sure i am managing my fitness properly is:
    * monday morning, as soon as i wake up
    * the scale in my bathroom
    * in my boxers
    * right after I pee

    Good luck!
  • 2credneck208
    2credneck208 Posts: 501 Member
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    We were just having the discussion on my profile and I prefer the old time scales with knob on front for below reasons

    exer6_zps6099b770.png



    NICE :happy:
  • DanceFittDiva
    DanceFittDiva Posts: 83 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your responses. They all make perfect sense. I'll just keep trustig my home scale. And some of you are correct, by the time I get to the dr, I've eaten several meals which can have a huge bearing on the change in the scale. I won't let it bother me anymore. :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your responses. They all make perfect sense. I'll just keep trustig my home scale. And some of you are correct, by the time I get to the dr, I've eaten several meals which can have a huge bearing on the change in the scale. I won't let it bother me anymore. :)

    Don't forget that a gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds, and your clothes and shoes also weigh a decent amount.
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    I would assume you weighed yourself in clothes at the Drs office. I dont know if you weigh yourself at home naked or not, but that can make a huge difference. Even the type of clothing can.

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